WWII Veteran Creates A No-Kill Wind Turbine

Raymond Green, an 89-year-old retired engineer and World War II veteran, has designed a wind turbine in which the blades are concealed inside a drum-like structure consisting of a windsock and a patented inner compression cone. The prototype for the Compressed Air Enclosed Wind Turbine weighs only 45 pounds and cost about $550 to build, which makes it much more lightweight and affordable: To test it, Green attached it to the top of his truck.

What's the Big Idea?

Protecting birds and bats was the initial impetus for Green's design, along with reducing the noise level generated by traditional wind turbines. Because of its lightness and affordability, the machine can be scaled for various uses, from producing power on a wind farm to recharging personal electronic devices. On his site, Green says his company, Catching Wind Power, is actively looking for veterans to help him bring his turbine to market; Jerry Lynch, fellow veteran and owner of New Jersey-based Sigma Design Company, has taken him up on the offer.